Oliver Schmidt could face up to seven years in prison for his role in the scandal.

A Volkswagen executive has pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiring to mislead the U.S. government and break emissions laws, Reuters reports.

Oliver Schmidt, who pled guilty to the charges in U.S. District Court in Detroit on Friday, could face up to seven years in prison and a fine ranging between $40,000 and $400,000, according to Reuters. That's a far lighter sentence than he could have faced, however; Schmidt was originally charged with 11 felony counts, which combined to carry a maximum potential sentence of 169 years in prison. The plea deal was expected, as Automotive News reported last month.

In a statement cited by Reuters, Volkswagen said, "It would not be appropriate to comment on any ongoing investigations or to discuss personnel matters," while reiterating that it was cooperating with authorities in regards to the ongoing Dieselgate-related individuals.